Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Anna Bligh

Monday, September 13, 2010

Premier says future’s bright for Queensland on three year anniversary

Premier Anna Bligh has marked the third anniversary of her Premiership by holding a Strategic Cabinet to set the agenda for Queensland over the next 18 months.

Ms Bligh said as Queensland continued to emerge from the worst financial crisis in a generation, the State’s future looked bright.

“As we emerge from the Global Financial Crisis, I’m optimistic about our future – I have a determined plan and I’m sticking to it,” Ms Bligh said.

“The future is looking bright and I’m determined to deliver on the opportunities that we have before us.

“That’s what today’s Strategic Cabinet is all about – harnessing those opportunities and making the most of them for the future of our great state.

“We’ve delivered on our commitments but we won’t be standing still – there’s still a lot to achieve and that’s exactly what I intend to do.

“Three years on, the achievements of our Government speak for themselves but we need to keep on delivering to build our economy and continue to build Queensland as the strongest state in the nation.”

On the anniversary of her Premiership Ms Bligh said the Government had a strong record of solid achievements across critical areas such as health, education, the environment and the economy including:

Growing a stronger economy

·Maintaining Queensland’s record building program which is keeping more than 100,000 Queenslanders in jobs

·Reaching the halfway mark of the 100,000 jobs target

·Facilitating new industries like LNG

·Managing growth by delivering jobs to regional Queensland and encouraging people to move to the regions with an $11,000 home owner’s grant; decentralisation of Government to places like Ipswich

Creating a greener Queensland

·Making Queensland the nation’s solar state by delivering solar rebates to reduce power consumption and bills in the home: more than 180,000 homes now have a solar hot water system.

·Creating more national parks and greenspace

·Protecting the Great Barrier Reef through tough new Laws and a moratorium on mining for shale oil

·Bringing an end to sand mining on North Stradbroke Island to protect its pristine environment

Building a smarter State

·Delivering 240 new kindy services so every child can have a flying start

·Delivering 150,000 new training places

·Delivering new Research fellowship programs – the biggest in Australia

Supporting a healthier Queensland

·Fluoridating Queensland’s water supplies

·Reduced Waiting times for elective surgery

Delivering a fairer Queensland

·Reducing unemployment

·New early intervention programs

·Record Disability funding to support those most in need; new disability services

Ms Bligh said the Government would remain focussed on building the Queensland of tomorrow.

“I’m determined to keep delivering jobs for Queenslanders, I’m determined to keep building our economy and I’m determined to keep delivering the infrastructure we need for the South East corner and our regional areas.

“I’m getting on with the job of delivering for Queensland – we have a plan and I will see it through.”